Stan Bloom

TUSCALOOSA Stan Bloom, age 88, of Tuscaloosa, died October 20, 2012, at Hospice of West Alabama. Memorial services will be held Tuesday, October 23, 2012, at 3:30 p.m. at Bloom Hillel, 380 9th Street on the University of Alabama campus. Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Survivors include his beloved wife, Star Bloom; his daughters, Tara Bloom of Nashville, Tenn., and Ashley Metsky (Allan) and grandson, Aidan Metsky of Birmingham; brother, Andrew Bloom (Adele) of Jennings, Fla.; nieces, Betsy Ann Bloom of Gainesville, Fla. and Stacy Bloom of Oakland, Calif.; nephews, Gary Bloom of Atlanta, Ga., William W. Bloom (Leisa) of Scottsdale, Ariz., Andrew S. Bloom of Phoenix, Ariz., and Stephen Bloom of Phoenix, Ariz. He is also survived by his loving cousins, Betty Jo Goldstein, Chet Goldstein (GiGi) and Greg Goldstein (Wendy) of Tuscaloosa, Daryl Goldstein (Erica) of Atlanta, Ga., and Sharon Marcus (Bobby) of Gulf Breeze, Fla.

He was preceded in death by his parents, William P. and Betty Brown Bloom of Tuscaloosa.

Stan, a decorated veteran of World War II, was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, attending Tuscaloosa High School and graduating from the University of Alabama in 1947. His freshman year was interrupted when an Army recruiter promised him an easy path to becoming an officer with very little possibility of ever seeing combat. Three months later he was deployed to the European front where as a soldier in the 3rd Battalion of the 395th Infantry in the 99th Division; he fought in the Battle of the Bulge among other conflicts. Stan earned a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Presidential Unit Citation for his service.

At the end of the war, Stan's Battalion was one of Dachau's liberator's – a haunting experience that he would reflect on late in his life. Like other members of the greatest generation, he left service grateful to be alive and willing to do his part to rebuild our country.

Upon his return from the war, Stan completed his education and worked in the family business, Brown's Department Store. In 1953 he went into business with his uncle, Chester Goldstein, and started Coed Collar Company, a clothing design and manufacturing facility which later became one of West Alabama's largest independent factories.

After meeting Star Kilstein on a cruise, Stan's aunt and uncle suggested they meet – never dreaming they had found Stan's future wife, mother of his children, business partner, and life-long partner in furthering causes they both held dear.

As Stan and Star built a life together in Tuscaloosa, Stan worked hard to support his family, his business and his community. In 1973, Stan served as President of the Rotary club, where he remained active until the end of his life. Under his leadership, the club worked with the University of Alabama to establish the Rotary International Student House on Campus.

In 1991 Stan, as a Board Member for Tuscaloosa's Public Library, decided the Library needed more books. He literally became a one man fundraising and public relations campaign, convincing the city council to match a quarter for every dollar he raised. Since Stan raised over $500,000 in private funds, the City Council had to come up with more than a $150,000 match. In 1992, Stan was awarded the Humanitarian Award by the Alabama Library Association for his incredible efforts.

Perhaps Stan's longest and greatest commitment has been to the University of Alabama Hillel serving the Jewish students on campus. Stan's Father, Bill Bloom, was one of the founders of Hillel, a national organization, at the University of Alabama.

When a beautiful new University of Alabama Hillel Center was dedicated in 2010, Stan was especially proud and pleased when he learned that the Board of Trustees decided to honor his family by naming it “Bloom Hillel.”

In addition to his work on the Library and at Hillel, Stan was an active member of the Board of Directors of Tuscaloosa Academy while his daughters Tara and Ashley attended there. In addition, he served on the Board of the Fine Arts Society, the University Museums Board of Regents, The Alabama Holocaust Commission, and the University of Alabama's President's Cabinet.

His family wants others to remember Stan's kind heart, big personality, upstanding character, and incredibly generous spirit. A better father, husband, and friend would be hard to find.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests a contribution to the Bloom Hillel Center, 380 9th Street, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401; or Hospice of West Alabama.